title: Acetazolamide-associated aplastic anaemia.
abstract: Eleven cases of acetazolamide-associated aplastic anaemia were reported in Sweden during a 17-year period. There were six women and five men with a median age of 71 years (range 63-85 years). The median dose of acetazolamide was 500 mg, and the median duration of treatment was 3 months (range 2-71 months). Ten of the eleven patients died, all within 8 weeks after detection of their aplastic anaemia. The relative risk of developing aplastic anaemia when taking acetazolamide was 13.3 (95% confidence limits (CL); 6.8-25.3). The estimated incidence of reported acetazolamide-associated aplastic anaemia is approximately one in 18,000 patient years. The results strongly indicate that acetazolamide treatment is associated with a substantial increase in the risk of developing aplastic anaemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Drugs, National Board of Health and Welfare, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Keisu
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Wiholm
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ost
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mortimer
mesh_terms: D000086:Acetazolamide / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000368:Aged; D000741:Anemia, Aplastic / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D012306:Risk; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000086:Acetazolamide